Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Produce
- 2 ripe tomatoes, halved
- 4 plum tomatoes, halved
- 2 shallots, peeled and halved
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
- 3 garlic, peeled
- 3 scallions, finely sliced
Pantry and Seasonings
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g herbes de provence
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- 4 g sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 49 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 160 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 184 mg
- Calcium
- 14 mg
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 10 mg
- Phosphorus
- 23 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 25 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 27 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 11 mcg
- Water
- 23 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, toss the halved ripe tomatoes, plum tomatoes, shallots, red bell pepper, and garlic cloves with half of the extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper until well coated.
Arrange the vegetables skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the skins are deeply blistered and the vegetables have softened.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the roasted vegetables to cool for 10 minutes. If desired, pinch and discard the loosest tomato and pepper skins, though leaving them adds rustic smoky flavor.
Transfer the cooled roasted vegetables and any accumulated pan juices to a cutting board and finely chop to your desired salsa consistency. Alternatively, pulse them 5 to 6 times in a food processor.
Place the chopped vegetables back into the mixing bowl. Fold in the finely sliced scallions, herbes de Provence, red wine vinegar, and the remaining extra virgin olive oil.
Allow the salsa to rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. This crucial step gives the dried herbes de Provence time to hydrate and release their floral, earthy essential oils.
Chef's Notes
- Sourcing your herbes de Provence matters heavily here. Look for a traditional blend that contains lavender, savory, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme, as the floral notes of lavender perfectly balance the sweet roasted tomatoes.
- This salsa is remarkably versatile. Beyond acting as a dip with pita chips or tortilla chips, it excels as a vibrant topping for grilled white fish, smeared onto a baguette for bruschetta, or folded into a classic French omelette.
- To maximize the depth of flavor, prepare the salsa a day in advance. The olive oil will carry the fat-soluble flavor compounds from the herbs throughout the entire mixture as it sits in the refrigerator.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Flavors deepen significantly after the first 24 hours of resting.
Freezer: 3 months — Texture will become much softer upon thawing; best used stirred into hot dishes if frozen.
Troubleshooting
Salsa is too watery
Cause: Tomatoes released excessive liquid during the roasting and resting phases
Fix: Briefly pour the salsa into a fine-mesh strainer to drain off excess liquid; reserve the flavorful juice for vinaigrettes or drinking
Prevention: Gently squeeze out the seeds and excess gel from the tomatoes before roasting if they seem particularly waterlogged
Salsa tastes overly sharp or acidic
Cause: Tomatoes were out of season and lacked natural sugars, or the red wine vinegar is too harsh
Fix: Stir in a very small pinch of granulated sugar or a drop of honey to balance the acid profile
Prevention: Taste your raw ingredients prior to cooking; rely primarily on sweet plum or cherry tomatoes in winter
Cultural Context
This recipe bridges the robust, heavily-charred techniques of Southwestern American cuisine with the rustic, herb-forward profile of Southern France. By replacing traditional cilantro, jalapenos, and raw onions with herbes de Provence, roasted shallots, and high-quality olive oil, it reimagines a classic Super Bowl party staple into a sophisticated condiment suited for both a casual tailgate and a sun-drenched Provencal picnic.
